Starting freshman year in Drexel’s Animation & Visual Effects (ANFX) program is an exciting step into the world of digital storytelling, animation, and motion graphics. This first year is all about learning the fundamentals, exploring different animation techniques, and getting hands-on experience with industry-standard tools. Whether you’re interested in 2D animation, 3D modeling, or VFX, freshman year sets the foundation for a creative and technical journey ahead.
Freshman-year coursework introduces students to essential animation principles and software while also incorporating general art and design fundamentals. Freshman year provides the foundation for future courses in character animation, visual effects, and advanced 3D modeling. Sophomore year will bring more complex projects, deeper exploration of animation techniques, and opportunities to specialize in different areas of ANFX.
Core Classes
Freshman-year coursework introduces students to essential animation principles and software while also incorporating general art and design fundamentals. Key classes include Digital Imaging for Animation & VFX (ANIM110) where students learn foundational image acquisition, lighting and processing techniques and principles utilized in Animation & VFX disciplines. Topics covered include digital still and video imaging and lighting fundamentals for reference and background gathering, texture creation, normal map sampling, spherical and high dynamic range acquisition, location survey and more. Computer Graphics Imagery (ANIM140) teaches students to represent 3D objects and spaces in 2D media using a variety of drawing and computer graphic techniques. This course lays important foundations for subsequent courses in 3D computer modeling and animation. History of Animation(ANIM215) covers the pre-cursors to modern animation and the evolution of the art since the beginning of the 20th century. Concepts in both 2D and 3D animation will be covered. Animation (ANIM211) explores computer animation with an introduction to concepts of 3D animation. Includes narrative structure, storyboarding, and development. Emphasizes aesthetic, technical and conceptual issues. Requires students to create shorty animations in timeline based software.
Skills You’ll Learn
Throughout the first year, ANFX students gain hands-on experience with tools and techniques used in professional animation and VFX studios, including Animation Principles – Understanding movement, timing, and weight to create lifelike motion, 2D & 3D Design – Exploring digital painting, character creation, and environmental design, Basic Rigging & Modeling – Learning how to create and prepare characters for animation, and Storyboarding & Visual Storytelling – Developing short narratives and planning animations through sketches.
Projects & Challenges
Freshman-year projects focus on applying learned techniques through short animation exercises. Some typical assignments include Bouncing Ball Animation – A classic exercise to master timing and squash & stretch principles, Walk Cycle Animation – Bringing a character to life with realistic movement, 3D Object Modeling – Creating a simple 3D object, such as a chair or vehicle, to practice form and texture, and Storyboard Sequence – Designing a short sequence to develop visual storytelling skills. One of the biggest challenges for ANFX students is adapting to the technical side of animation. Learning new software and troubleshooting issues can be daunting, but practice and patience make a huge difference!
Tips for Success: Draw as much as possible. Even if you prefer digital tools, strong drawing skills help improve animation work. Master the software. Get comfortable with industry-standard programs like Photoshop, Maya, and After Effects. Study real-life movement. Observe how people, animals, and objects move to make animations feel natural. Experiment with storytelling. Animation is more than just movement—it’s about crafting engaging narratives.